'Dumbo' Is the Weakest Disney Live-Action Remake So Far

Dumbo, which is another live-action remake of a classic Disney animated feature, has a plot that’s essentially different from the original.  This is most likely for the purpose of fitting its runtime in accordance to the modern feature standard – as the 1941 animated film only clocked for a little bit over an hour – as well as avoiding the sense of being derivative.

The movie follows a circus star equestrian named Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) who was enlisted to fight in World War I, and while he was away, his wife and co-performer died from illness.  After the war, he returns back to the circus with a missing arm and reunites with his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finely Hobbins).  However, Holt can no longer perform there since the circus owner/ringmaster Max Medici (Danny DeVito) was forced to sell the horses after the death of Holt’s wife due to financial troubles.  Max instead gives Holt and his children the job of looking after Dumbo, a baby elephant born with oversized ears.  Soon, they are surprised that Dumbo’s unusual ears have made it possible for him to fly, and he ends up being the main attraction and savior for the struggling circus – drawing in large crowds and the attention of shady amusement park entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton).

Dumbo isn’t a terrible film, by no means.  I like its cinematography and production design.  However, other than those, I cared little for anything else.  There’s some appeal with the Batman Returns reunion aspect for Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, and director Tim Burton.  But, as a whole, the film has little charm.

It probably has a more sophisticated plot than the original 1941 animated classic, but I feel that the latter, despite having a more simplistic story, has more heart.  The CGI Dumbo can be adorable, but the narrative gives him few opportunities to really develop or display personality.  And the ending is just eye-rollingly sappy.  All in all, the storytelling is competent but long-winded and unremarkable.

It also makes allusions to the original movie – most notably, a brief shot of a mouse dressed as Timothy Q. Mouse, and a moment that does its own spin on the iconic pink elephants scene.  But any sense of fun from them is only drowned out by the reminder that those elements being referenced are much superior in their original presentation in the animated film.  Timothy Q. Mouse is a magnetic character and a significant force in the narrative of the 1941 movie, and his absence in the 2019 remake leaves a noticeable, nagging void on its own narrative.  Meanwhile, the pink elephants scene in the original film is so wonderfully weird and trippy; in comparison, how the 2019 remake brings about a similar imagery makes no sense and comes off as somewhat pandering.

Neither the human characters nor the performances make a strong impression.  Michael Keaton, in particular, is seemingly playing a role that is usually reserved for regular Burton collaborator Johnny Depp, and is disappointingly bland in doing so.

All things considered, the vision of the animated classic Dumbo works much better.  On the other hand, this 2019 remake is simply forgettable.  Thus, it’s easily the weakest Disney live-action remake so far (Yes, I prefer Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movies over this.  In fact, I actually enjoyed them in an unironic way).